Coin storage and dispensing device

ABSTRACT

A coin storage and dispensing device is disclosed which includes a battery-operated indicator light arranged to turn on when the coins remaining in the device fall below a predetermined number.

United States Patent Inventor Herbert A. Kohn 3753 Cedar Avenue,Minneapolis, Minn. 55402 Appl. No. 882,919

Filed Dec. 8, 1969 Patented Dec. 28, 1971 COIN STORAGE AND DISPENSINGDEVICE 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 340/283, 340/280, 200/61 .2,,200/61 .41, 206/37, 206/38, 232/4Int. Cl G081) 23/00, G081 5/00 Field of Search ZOO/52.02,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,618,736 11/1952 LanghouiZOO/61.81 X 3,487,395 12/1969 Xenos ZOO/61.2 X 2,486,180 10/1949 Lane etal. 206/.81

Primary Examiner-Donald .I. Yusko Assistant Examiner-William M. WanniskyAttorneyMerchant & Gould ABSTRACT: A coin storage and dispensing deviceis disclosed which includes a battery-operated indicator light arrangedto turn on when the coins remaining in the device fall below apredetermined number.

PATENTED "H228 I97! INVENTOR.

nrramzrs COIN STORAGE AND DISPENSING DEVICE The invention is directed tocoin storage and dispensing devices, specifically of the type that holda stack of coins for parking meter change and the like.

Devices of this type have proven quite useful since they provide areadily accessible source of change for parking meters, thus obviatingthe problem of having sufficient change in the proper denomination.

Because only the top coin of the stack ordinarily can be seen, onedrawback of these devices is running out of coins or trying to determinewhich coin is the last one. Another drawback is the relativeinconvenience of refilling the device with coins since only a singlecoin at a time can be inserted into devices of which I am aware. I

My invention solves the first problem through the provision of anindicating light which comes on when the number of remaining coins fallsbelow a predetennined level. Further, while my inventive device iscapable of storing a large number of coins, a removable closure memberis included which enables the device to be refilled quickly and easily.These features are provided without sacrificing maximum-sizelimitations, thus resulting in a small, compact device that reliablyprevents the user from running out of change.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coinstorage and dispensing device embodying the inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the coin storage and dispensing device;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the device;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line 44 of FIG.2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view as seen from a line 5-5 of FIG.4 showing a mechanical switch employed by the device in detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the Figures, a coinstorage and dispensing device represented generally by the numeral 11 isshown to consist of an outer container 12 which is internally dividedinto internal enclosures or chambers 13, 14. Chambers 13, 14 areaccessible through the top of container 12 by virtue of a removableclosure member 16 which can be snapped into place by a groove 17 andbead 18 formed on adjacent engageable parts of container 12 and top 16(FIG. 4). As best seen in FIG. 1, a slot or recess 19 enables top 16 tobe easily removed from container 12.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 a permanently attached bottom 21 leaves chamber13 partially open and completely closes chamber 14 at its lower end.

Referring to FIG. 4, chamber 13 is constructed to receive a plurality ofstacked coins 22. Removable top 16 carries a coil spring 23, whichcontinuously forces coins 22 against bottom 21. The partial opening ofchamber 13 created by bottom 21 can be described as having a lessercross-sectional area than the face of one of the coins 22 when viewedaxially of the stack, and having a lateral opening wider than a coindiameter and of a depth greater than one but less than two cointhicknesses. Through this structural arrangement, bottom 21 incombination with spring 23 restrains axial movement of the coins 22, butpermits the coins 22 to be removed laterally one at a time.

Chamber 14 is constructed to receive and store a battery 24 havingpositive and negative terminals 25 and 26. Battery 24 is used to provideelectrical energy to an indicator light 27 which is carried by removabletop 16 in a conventional manner. A cap 30 is screwed onto a threadedflange projecting upwardly from top 16 to protect light 27 as well asenhance its illuminating capabilities. Cap 30 can be made of transparentor translucent material, and of any desired color.

Indicator light 27 forms part of an electrical circuit which isconnected to battery 24 by means of an upper contact 28,

which is carried by removable top 16 and engages terminal 25. and a coilspring 29, which is disposed between battery 24 and bottom 21, andserves as an electrical contact engageable with terminal 26 as well as abiasing means which maintains battery 24 in continuous electricalcontact.

Also forming part of the electrical circuit are a conductive strip 31which connects contact 28 with light 27, a conductive strip 32 whichconnects light 27 to a switch 33, and a conductive strip 34 whichconnects switch 33 with contact spring 29.

Switch 33 is formed from the engageable ends of conductive strips 32 and34, which, by virtue of the inherent spring characteristics of stripmetal, are normally biased into a conductive or "make position. See alsoFIG. 5. Thus, in the absence of a force which would move the ends ofconductive strips 32 and 34 apart, light 27 is turned on through itsconnection to battery 24.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, conductive strip 32 is disposed so that it isengageable by the stacked coins 22 if the stack is high enough to reachstrip 32. Thus, if chamber 13 is full, the stacked coins 22 engage strip32, moving switch 33 to its break" position and causing light 27 to turnoff. With light 27 off, the user of a device 11 knows that a sufficientnumber of coins 22 are in chamber 13 and that he need not worry aboutrunning out of parking meter change. When the stack of coins 22 fallsbelow that predetermined number e.g., eight coins or less as shown inFIG. 4), switch 33 will move to its make position and light 27 turns onto remind the user that chamber 13 should be filled with coins in thenear future.

In order to refill chamber 13, top 16 is simply removed and therequisite number of coins are simply and easily added. Battery 24 isalso replaced by the removal of top 16.

What is claimed is:

1. Coin storage and dispensing means, comprising:

a. a container divided into first and second chambers;

b. the first chamber constructed to receive and house a plurality ofstacked coins, and having an opening at one end constructed and arrangedto permitremoval of the coins from the stack one by one;

c. biasing means for effecting a biasingforce on the stacked coins inthe direction of said one end of the first chamber;

d. the second chamber constructed to receive and house battery meanshaving first and second terminals;

e. electrically actuated indicator means carried by the container andoperatively connected to the battery means through circuit means;

f. and switch means forming part of the circuit means and having firstand second operating positions for establishing and breaking theconnection between the battery means and the indicator means,respectively, the switch means being engageable by the stacked coinswhen a predetermined number of coins are in the stack and movablethereby to one of the first and second operating positions, the switchmeans being movable to the other of the first and second operatingpositions when less than the said predetermined number of coins are inthe stack.

2. The coin storage and dispensing means as defined by claim I, whereinthe indicator means comprises an electric light.

3. The device as defined by claim I, wherein the circuit means includesfirst and second contacts adapted for engagement with the first andsecond terminals of the battery means, one of the first and secondcontacts comprising an electrically conductive biasing spring disposedto maintain engagement between the first and second contacts and thefirst and second terminals, respectively.

4. The device as defined in claim I, wherein the biasing means comprisesa coil spring disposed in compression between the stacked coins and theother end of the first chamber.

5. The device as defined by claim I, wherein the opening is of lessercross-sectional area than the face of the coin, the depth of the openingbeing greater than one and less than two coin thicknesses and the widthof the opening being greater than a coin diameter.

6. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the switch means is movableto the second opening position when the predetermined number of coinsare in the stack.

7. The device as defined by claim 1, and further comprising a movableclosure member for the other end of the first chamber and an adjacentend of the second chamber.

8. The device as defined by claim 7, wherein:

a. the indicator means comprises a light bulb carried by the removableclosure member;

b. the biasing means comprises a coil spring carried by the removableclosure member;

c. and further comprising a protective cap for the light bulb,

the protective cap being carried by the removable closure member andformed from light-transmitting material.

9. The device as defined by claim 6, wherein the switch means comprises:

a. a first electrical contact;

b. and a strip of metal having a free end forming a second electricalcontact, the free end being normally biased into engagement with thefirst electrical contact and engageable by the stacked coins formovement away from the first contact.

1. Coin storage and dispensing means, comprising: a. a container dividedinto first and second chambers; b. the first chamber constructed toreceive and house a plurality of stacked coins, and having an opening atone end constructed and arranged to permit removal of the coins from thestack one by one; c. biasing means for effecting a biasing force on thestacked coins in the direction of said one end of the first chamber; d.the second chamber constructed to receive and house battery means havingfirst and second terminals; e. electrically actuated indicator meanscarried by the container and operatively connected to the battery meansthrough circuit means; f. and switch means forming part of the circuitmeans and having first and second operating positions for establishingand breaking the connection between the battery means and the indicatormeans, respectively, the switch means being engageable by the stackedcoins when a predetermined number of coins are in the stack and movablethereby to one of the first and second operating positions, the switchmeans being movable to the other of the first and second operatingpositions when less than the said predetermined number of coins are inthe stack.
 2. The coin storage and dispensing means as defined by claim1, wherein the indicator means comprises an electric light.
 3. Thedevice as defined by claim 1, wherein the circuit means includes firstand second contacts adapted for engagement with the first and secondterminals of the battery means, one of tHe first and second contactscomprising an electrically conductive biasing spring disposed tomaintain engagement between the first and second contacts and the firstand second terminals, respectively.
 4. The device as defined in claim 1,wherein the biasing means comprises a coil spring disposed incompression between the stacked coins and the other end of the firstchamber.
 5. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the opening is oflesser cross-sectional area than the face of the coin, the depth of theopening being greater than one and less than two coin thicknesses andthe width of the opening being greater than a coin diameter.
 6. Thedevice as defined by claim 1, wherein the switch means is movable to thesecond opening position when the predetermined number of coins are inthe stack.
 7. The device as defined by claim 1, and further comprising amovable closure member for the other end of the first chamber and anadjacent end of the second chamber.
 8. The device as defined by claim 7,wherein: a. the indicator means comprises a light bulb carried by theremovable closure member; b. the biasing means comprises a coil springcarried by the removable closure member; c. and further comprising aprotective cap for the light bulb, the protective cap being carried bythe removable closure member and formed from light-transmittingmaterial.
 9. The device as defined by claim 6, wherein the switch meanscomprises: a. a first electrical contact; b. and a strip of metal havinga free end forming a second electrical contact, the free end beingnormally biased into engagement with the first electrical contact andengageable by the stacked coins for movement away from the firstcontact.